Design and Construction
The Schmidt Mirage 27 is built predominantly of fibreglass and carries a monohull hull type with a fixed fin keel and an internally-mounted, spade-type rudder. The 9.25 ft beam and 4.17 ft standard-keel draft frame a hull whose 247 displacement-to-length ratio marks it as a comparatively heavy, settled design for its length rather than a featherweight racer. Mirage Yachts' own marque context places the boat in the early run of a Quebec-built line that began in 1972, but the Schmidt 27 stands apart from the C&C-derived 24 and the later Perry and Kirby collaborations: it is its own 1975 generation, out of production today, and should never be confused with the 1980 Perry interpretation of the same numeral.
Rig and Handling
The boat is rigged as a masthead sloop, and the numbers behind that rig are telling. The foretriangle measures 35.80 ft in height with an 11.80 ft base, while the mainsail luff runs 29.90 ft and the foot 10.60 ft. Those dimensions yield a mainsail area of 158.47 sq ft and a jib/genoa area of 211.22 sq ft, for a total sail area of 369.69 sq ft — a sail plan that, against 5,500 lb of displacement, produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio near 19. The spade rudder housed internally gives the helmsman a direct, balanced feel in the 6.21 kn hull speed band, and the fin keel keeps the draft modest enough for gunkholing without sacrificing the lateral grip a 40-percent ballast fraction implies.
Accommodations and Systems
Below, the Schmidt 27 is a compact cruiser with the tankage of its class: a 12 U.S. gallon fuel tank feeds the Japanese Yanmar 1GM diesel of 9 hp, while a 10 U.S. gallon fresh water tank sets the onboard range for a weekend rather than a passage. The recreational keelboat brief is honest about the boat's scope — it is a small boat built for sheltered-water and coastal use, not a volume carrier. The 21.50 ft waterline and 9.25 ft beam define a cabin footprint that trades grand living for the tractable handling and the profile a 27-foot fibreglass hull affords.
Known Issues
The published record contains no documented structural defects, flooding paths, or drainage faults for the Schmidt 27; the established facts describe a conventionally built solid-fibreglass boat with a standard fin keel and internal spade rudder, and nothing in the source material raises a known weak point. Prospective owners should therefore treat the model on its documented merits rather than on inherited reputation from other marque branches.
Refits and Ownership
Because the design is out of production, any refit economy runs through the generic Yanmar 1GM and the masthead sloop wardrobe rather than model-specific tooling. The boat's simple fibreglass construction and fixed fin keel make yard work straightforward, and the 1975-vintage hulls now in private hands are old enough that engine servicing and sail inventory, not structural rescue, define the ownership curve. The separation from the Perry Mirage 27 matters here: spares and rigging comparisons must stay within the Schmidt generation or the owner risks buying the wrong running gear.
The Verdict
The Mirage 27 (Schmidt) is a disciplined Canadian pocket cruiser whose 1975 pedigree and 40-percent ballast fraction give it a steadiness unusual in a 27-footer. It is not a later Perry boat, and it should never be shopped as one. For the sailor wanting a small, comprehensible fibreglass sloop with honest tankage and a real keel, the Schmidt design earns its place.
Pros
- Distinct 1975 Schmidt design, unrelated to the Perry Mirage 27
- 40-percent ballast-to-displacement ratio in a 5,500 lb hull
- Masthead sloop rig with 369.69 sq ft of documented sail area
- Internally mounted spade rudder and fixed fin keel
Cons
- Only 10 U.S. gallon fresh water capacity limits range
- Out of production, so no current factory support
- Small recreational keelboat scope, not a passage vessel
